Dust covers for firearms are designed reduce the likelihood of dust, dirt, debris, etc. from entering the firing mechanism of the firearm. Movable dust covers have been used, and in particular, dust covers for rifles such as the AR-15 rifle typically automatically open upon discharge of the rifle, but then must be manually closed at the conclusion of firing one or many rounds of ammunition. Dust covers for firearms such as the AR-15 often include a spring-loaded, hinged door or flap arrangements, which are latched closed when the firearm is not in use, but spring open when released by the movement of the firearm's bolt or bolt carrier. The operator of the firearm must typically then manually close the dust cover at the end of each session or series of shots. In these applications, the dust cover does not travel with the moving parts of the firearm, but simply opens and remains open until manually closed.
Certain firearms, such as an AK-47 rifle, include a side-mounted charging handle, and a track or slot in which the charging handle reciprocates. This slot has the potential to allow dust, dirt, or debris to enter the action of the firearm during operation, transport and/or storage. Some designs, such as the AR-15 rifle, place the charging handle at the rear of the action, but this may result in other issues, such as the charging handle interfering with optics or sighting systems and/or being less ergonomically efficient design than a side-mounted charging handle. For instance, a rear-mounted charging system may be more difficult to operate when a rifle is mounted to an operator's shoulder in a “ready to fire” position, while a side mounted charging handle would typically be more accessible.
Therefore, there exists a need for dust cover for addressing the issues noted above.